


No. 1 Party Anthem

by orphan_account



Category: The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 17:25:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4357895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Patroclus finds an old friend when he hits rock bottom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No. 1 Party Anthem

**Author's Note:**

> My twitter is @bumblestud and my tumblr is bumblestud.tumblr.com

Through the smoke filled room he could make out a single shape among the wreckage that was the strip club, a person standing in the doorway with his back against the wall. He had the same golden hair that he remembered so fondly from his teenage years and a leaner build than he'd had before but there was no doubt that it was him; Achilles. Hazy memories of a first kiss and a first time came back to him in tandem, creating years 16-19 in mere seconds. 

Ah, like the sweetness of ripe figs, those memories. 

Patroclus didn't know whether or not he should walk up to him and talk to him like the old times. He wanted to spill his guts to the one who used to know him better than anyone else and tell him that he was breaking down. Without Dei he was a mess but he knew that he could be fixed, he just knew he could. He continued to stare at Achilles' frame and drank in every detail that he could. Achilles was a stripper obviously- he was wearing a robe that covered everything much to Patroclus' sudden displeasure- and Patroclus was a patron. Did that mean they couldn't talk? 

For more money maybe they could have a conversation. 

 _Achilles isn't like that._ He thought defensively.  _He'll talk to me._ But then again he didn't know Achilles anymore and if he had changed as much as Patroclus had, there was no getting him back. 

He sighed and downed the rest of his drink before standing up. He ran his fingers through his messy curls, messing them up even more, and thought of all of the horrible things that could- and probably would- happen if he went over there. He was a pessimist and everyone who knew him understood that but his pessimism was threatening to get the best of him. Would he trip over his feet or say something stupid? There was a big possibility of that happening and he hated how awkward he was. That was one of the reasons that Dei had left him- he never knew what to say despite his intellect, never knew when to give in and when to fight.

Maybe that was the time to fight.  

Achilles turned and spotted him, laughing and making his cheeks heat with embarrassment. Why was he laughing at him? Achilles' eyes said 'come over here' but his laughter said 'not you' and that frightened him the most. Achilles' cigarette was getting smaller and he knew that that was all of the time he had left. He took the plunge and walked over slowly in an attempt to look nonchalant though he was sure Achilles could see right through him. 

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Achilles offered first, a line of smoke coming out of his mouth as he spoke. He could pinpoint the moment they'd first met (high school registration day) and the last minute that they'd seen each other (graduation night) but he didn't want to seem desperate. 

"High school around 6 years ago." 

"You're... Pat, right?" His heart thudded and coughed- no one called him Pat anymore. 

"Nice to see you again, Achilles." His name rolled off of his tongue so perfectly that it had to have been fate. He wondered why Achilles- with his good looks and brains- had chosen to work at the most run down strip club in town when he clearly could've had his options. And why had Patroclus chosen this place when he could afford better? He didn't know. 

"It's been way too long." Achilles sounded sincere and that pleased him. "I've missed you."

"You barely remembered my name." Achilles smiled warmly, playfully even. 

"Your sense of humour has gotten better." Patroclus couldn't help but grin. 

"I guess it has." The man took another drag from the cigarette and stared at him through the smoke that he released. Achilles' eyes were the most magnificent things he'd seen in a while and he appreciated every second that he got to stare into them. 

"This place is usually a party on Friday nights. Don't take it as you see it now."

"I'll try not to."

"You looked good over there." The blond said and blushed ever so slightly. "Like home."

"You used to say that a lot." Achilles looked up from underneath his lashes and made him want to dive on him. 

"Do you remember everything I said?"

"Most of it."

"I said we'd meet again." The moment they were sharing was ending soon, by the look of the cigarette. Soon it was going to be gone and their worlds would go back to how they were before. Patroclus knew that his couldn't, not without Dei, not without Achilles. "I was right."

"I didn't think we'd meet quite like this."

"But who really does." Achilles dropped the cigarette on the ground and stomped it out, signifying that the moment had passed. His eyes though, said he was anything but finished with him. Achilles was a masterpiece in every single way and by the look he was giving him, he could tell that Achilles thought the same about him. His soul was in his eyes too and that was a beautiful thing. 

His breath sped up and he closed his eyes for a second, leaning back against the wall. He wanted to kiss him so badly but didn't know if it was the right time. Would Achilles kiss him back if he did? 

"You blow my mind." Patroclus said and sighed. "You broke my heart on the night of our graduation." He remembered Achilles sitting on the bed beside him, taking his hands, and telling him that they had to move on with their lives but would see each other again someday. His heart had split in two and Achilles had taken half of it with him. 

Was that why he couldn't fully love Dei? 

"I broke mine too." 

"Why did you do it? Things would've turned out differently if you hadn't."

"I doubt that."

"You doubted everything."

"That was you Pat." The sly way he said his name made him want to make him say it over and over again like a broken record of angel's cries. Patroclus stalked forward and planted his hands on either side of Achilles' head. 

"Let me kiss you."

"Are you falling in love with me all over again?" Achilles joked but his eyes were serious. 

"I'm not falling in love." He whispered. But he was. 

"Good." Patroclus leaned in and Achilles tilted his head back, their lips skimming each other's over and over. Achilles sighed and pressed their bodies closer, grabbing Patroclus' ass and cupping it with both hands. 

"Achilles, you're on in five." A woman said and forced them to tear apart. Patroclus smiled and so did Achilles before walking toward the backstage area. 

"We'll meet again someday."


End file.
